Johnny Fisher is not faultless. He doesn’t pretend to be.

The hugely popular "Romford Bull" has lost when he expected to win. He's struggled at times, he can turn a tune-up fight into a brawl.

But he also possesses an equaliser.

He is undeniably a heavy puncher and is increasingly improving on how he makes use of that strength and power.

He is aware of something else too. Heavyweight boxing is different. With men this big, punching this hard, anyone can lose. It means anyone can win too.

The very best prospects can still suffer surprise defeat. The heavyweight underdog can always spring a surprise.

"There's something special about the boxing world where two big gentlemen go into the ring and they really lay it all to bare for everyone to see. So that's why people tune in," Fisher told .

"Enjoy the journey, enjoy the ride. That's all it is. My ride might end with me fighting for an English title or a British title or having a big fight at the Copper Bosh against a hard opponent and it falling all apart but I'll give 110 per cent every single time. That's what it's about."

He's fighting at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday night, live on , against Belgium's Michael Pirotton, who has lost twice before but only against unbeaten opponents. Pirotton has never been dropped or stopped before, unlike Fisher.

The Englishman however believes his setbacks will ultimately enhance him.

"If it was easy, there'd be a lot more blokes doing it," he said.

"All of them little knocks, them cuts and them scars, they can build you. Don't let them break you, let them build you."

He will have his tremendous fanbase, the "Romford Bull Army" urging him on at the Copper Box. Having that kind of support is something unique. Pirotton wants to use that pressure against the local hero. But Fisher insists that is not going to happen.

"It's dealing with the pressure of them big circumstances. I've been in front of arenas of thousands of people for a long time now, so I can deal with that," he said.

"When you hear that roar you can let it either overtake your brain and frazzle it, or channel everything. You've just got to channel it and use it to focus you.

"That roar when you hear it, it's like a genuine roar and they make noise throughout the whole fight."

For him it's not the kind of pressure you might expect. He knows he has their support win or lose. In that sense he is unburdened. "You've got to view it as a privilege that these people come out and support you," he said.

"These people are really genuine and they want to come out and see me do well. They turn out no matter what. So that adds another level of a different pressure. I've been wrestling with that thought in my head. It's a bit of an oxymoronic thought."

He is determined to show the improvement in his ringcraft, but adds: "I'm done with the days of trying to prove myself to anyone. Who am I trying to prove anything to?

"To try and impress human beings you're doing the wrong thing. All you've got to do is live life the way you think you should live it and be kind to people, give people enjoyment, give people entertainment and be a genuine person and try your hardest.

"Try your best and that's all you can do."

Richards: Bivol knows we'll meet again

Craig Richards will take on Radivoje "Hot Rod" Kalajdzic in a top class light-heavyweight 10-rounder as the chief support to Fisher vs Pirotton.

Both Richards and Kalajdzic have operated at the highest level. "Hot Rod" boxed Artur Beterbiev, the destructive light-heavyweight wrecking machine, in a 2019 IBF world title challenge. In his most recent fight, Kalajdzic picked himself up from the deck twice to take out former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Richards boxed Dmitry Bivol in 2021, a performance that looks better and better after Bivol went on to prove himself the best in the division and become undisputed champion.

"The biggest thing I learned from that fight, I was a little bit disappointed that I didn't go through the gears as much as I could," Richards reflected of his fight with Bivol.

"You saw the interview before the Beterbiev first fight and they said: 'Who was your hardest fight?' He [Bivol] said: 'Actually a guy, Craig Richards, from England.' He said: 'It looks like it wasn't that to you lot, but there was a lot of thinking going on in there.'

"I think sometimes as a boxer there's so much that comes into account rather than just trading punches in there. Timing, traps, IQ, and at that elite level, I think, you will understand and they understand what's going on in there."

He wants a second shot at the champion. "I saw Bivol a couple of years ago and he said to me :'I know I'm going to see you again' and I said to him: '100 per cent,'" Richards told . "He knows we're going to meet again."

Richards wants to fight the very best, because that's where he feels he belongs: "If I leave this sport and I don't show everyone how good I am it will be very disappointing."

Watch Johnny Fisher vs Michael Pirotton headline Zuffa Boxing 11, live on from 7pm.